Makerbot Digitizer is a breakthrough for consumer printing of physical 3D items

 
The CEO of Makerbot, Bre Pettis, took the stage at SXSW in Austin this morning to debut the new ‘Makerbot Digitizer’. The ‘Makerbot Digitizer’ is a next-generation scanner that will allow consumers to scan, digitize and print in 3D like never before.
 
The announcement at SXSW Interactive was for the new MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner prototype. The MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner, will add to MakerBot’s 3D Ecosystem (MakerBot Replicator 3D Printers, Thingiverse.com, MakerWare, MakerCare) and all of the apps inside Thingiverse, including the popular Customizer app.
 
The company asks, “MakerBot wants to know – what will you digitize?” The scanner shown at the event was prototype model and MakerBot “will spend time testing, scanning, and printing in 3D the items scanned with it” according to the official release.
 
“We are super excited to be able to announce at SXSW Interactive that we are developing the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner,” said Bre Pettis, CEO of MakerBot. “It’s a natural progression for us to create a product that makes 3D printing even easier. With the MakerBot Digitizer, now everyone will be able to scan a physical item, digitize it, and print it in 3D – with little or no design experience.”
 
Pettis delivered the Opening Remarks for SXSW and delighted SXSW Interactive attendees with the announcement that MakerBot will develop and market a companion to MakerBot’s Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer, the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner.
 
Pettis stated, “The MakerBot Digitizer is an innovative new way to take a physical object, scan it, and create a digital file – without any design, CAD software or 3D modeling experience at all – and then print the item again and again on a MakerBot Replicator 2 or 2X Desktop 3D Printer.” This exciting new technology uses lasers and cameras to replicate physical objects into a digital form and file. “This is something you would envision being a piece of fiction, but in fact, it is real – and it is so cool,” Pettis went on to note. “The MakerBot Digitizer is a great tool for archiving, prototyping, replicating, and digitizing prototypes, models, parts, artifacts, artwork, sculptures, clay figures, jewelry, etc. If something gets broken, you can print it again.”
 
MakerBot anticipates that the MakerBot Digitizer will be used mostly by those who have dreamed of being able to scan a physical object and then print it in 3D. MakerBot sees the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner being used in businesses, universities, classrooms, and in the home where anything 3D can be digitized and reproduced at will.